After 5 months of working for an exclusive client, I am again at a crossroads. I started Audience Development Specialists in 2008 and have been plugging along ever since to get the word out. Since then, the collective voice for audience development has grown bigger, and it is now a part of our every day arts vocabulary.

I have seen other consultants come and go and other words of wisdom create a splash at times. I am still here working on my mission of creating bigger and better audiences for the arts sector, when I get the chance.

I am grateful when I do get the chance. The ones that have taken to audience development like a duck to water have seen great successes.

I have also found that the ones that became the horses that would not drink from the fountain of audience development did not see success.

How can I get more artists and arts organizations to try audience development in the ways which I know works to build audiences, build financial support and build people power?

I am stewing on this right now. More books? A series of online training workshops? Resurrecting my podcast? A second attempt at a summit in beautiful Boulder? An audience development boot camp?

We shall see what path I take next in the forever changing world of our arts industry. Feel free to add your own comments by replying. I am itching to make a bigger difference this time.

Thank you for taking the journey with me. I am grateful to all that have been interested and supportive of me and my mission over the years.

Cheers to you!

Shoshana

Shoshana Fanizza
Chief Audience Builder, Audience Development Specialists